Therapeutic device



June 29 1925' DE FOREST B. CATLIN THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Filed 001;. 20 1924 n vent. or,- DeF0/-"est: .B. Cat/#7;

$68 .776 tor/7e y.

Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES A 1,590,283 PATENT OFFICE.-

DE FOREST 3. CATLIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

THERAPEUTIC DEVICE.

Application filed. October 20, 1924. Serial No. 744,580.

ally as dento-alveolitis. As the blood corpuscles are relatively opaque to ultra-violet rays, it is usual to apply pressure when subjecting an' affected part to ultra-violet rays so as to deheematize the tissue, or in other words, force the bloodout of the path of the light rays. The requisite pressure can be exerted by a quartz rod or applicator, through which the therapeutic rays are conductedfrom the source, as for example an electric arc to the tissue to be treated.

Heretofore the pressure has been applied by the effort of the operator who held the applicator in his hand and pressed it upon the region of the jaw to be treated. The necessity of applying pressure while manipulating the ot er part of the apparatus distracted the attention of the operator from the medical aspect of the case andinterfered somewhat with the cource of the treatment. In accordance with my invention, I have provided an apparatus whereby the afieoted part can be held between a plurality of quartz applicators which are so shaped and supported that the requisite pressure is applied to the part by the applicator members, and automatically maintained,- for example, by a spring pressing the terminals of the members toward each other by a spring. The support for these applicators is constructed to permit of its rotation through an are so as to position the bent ends of the quartz rods for convenient use with either the lower or upper jaw of a patient.

The novel features of my invention will be pointed out with greater particularity in the appended claims.

An apparatus embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an apph'cator mounted on a casing in which is located an arc device; Figs. 2 and 3 respectively are a front elevation and a plan view, the latter being artly in section; and

Referring to the drawing, the evice comprises a water-cooled casing 1 in which is provided a source 2 of ultra-Violet rays,

such as a device for operatlng a mercury arc within a quartz bulb. Upon the casing are mounted the applicator rods 3 and 4 consist ing of fused quartz which conduct the pays emitted by the arc device 2 and passing through the quartz windows 5 and 6. The rods 3 and 4; are frictionally held within tubular holders or sleeves 7, 8 which in turn are mounted upon a knurled cylindrical base 9. This base rotatably engages with the cylindrical rim 10 formed on the side of casin 1. This knurled base 9 is locked to the mm 10 by lugs 11 and 12 which engage with slots in cars- 13 and 14 in a strap spring 15, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The spring 15 is held in a groove 16 in the rim 10 and is applied and removed by the head 17.

The applicator rod 4 'is urged toward the applicator rod 3 by a leaf spring 18 which is affixed to the holder 8 and the base 9, and automaticall maintains compressing pressure on an afiected tissue interposed between the opposed terminals of the rods. The spring 18 may be released by a hand lever 19 which projects outwardly from the holder 8 so as to swing the holder about the point 20 as a pivot when pressure is applied to the lever 19 by the operator.

The applicator base 9 may be revolved 180 degrees upon the rim 10 .so. as to swing the bent ends of the applicators dOWHr wardly as in Figure 4 and in Fig. 2 by full lines, and upwardly asshown by Figure 5, and by dotted lines in Figure 2. The ro tation is retarded somewhat by the spring strap 15 acting as a brake so as to avoid any looseness between the rim 10 and the base 9 under normal operating conditions, but allows it to rotate when some force is applied. The lever 19 is made of two parts pivoted at 21 to permit itsbeing doubled back on it-- tact when not in use to prevent injury to the tips by chipping or abrading.

The outer ends or term nals of the ap plicator rods are bent in two planes sub- F1gs. 4 to 6 are pictorial re resentations of i the teeth with relation to t e a plicators.

sure between the tips of the applicators as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. These two figures represent teeth at 23 at the roots of which an ulceration has formed as indicated at 24.

The ends of the applicators 3 and 4 press against the surrounding tissue 25 squeezing out the blood and permitting the ultraviolet rays to. reach the infected part. As

shown in Fig. 6 at 26, the point ofcontact and pressure of the applicators to? advan- .tage also may be positioned between the teeth at the junction of the crown with the root as it is at these points that the infection begins.

By the described apparatus the dosage of ultra-violet rays is doubled as two'ap'plica- Both the area tors are used instead of one. of application and the amount of ultraviolet are doubled; Hence)- the time required for a given treatment maybe re.-

duced to one-half. Further, the pressure is automatically maintained without care by the operator. By the shape ofthe applicators difiicultly accessible places in both the lower and the upper jaws can be readily treated. Of course, other anatomical parts may be treated as described in connection with the human jaw. 1

What I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A therapeutic device comprising a light "source, a plurality of quartz members having opposed terminals, means for mounting said members with respect to said light source, to permit light to be conducted through the members to a tissue interposed between the terminals, and to permit movement of the terminals toward and from each other, and means for applyingpressure to the members to compress the interposed tissue, the last-mentioned means having provisions for automatically maintaining the compressing pressure.

source of ultra-violet light, a plurality of quartz rods having bent ends, means for holding said rods into operative relation to said light source, while bringing said bent ends into juxtaposition, means for applying pressure to a part being trated while positioned between. said bent ends and means for releasing said pressure.

4. A therapeutic device for treating tissue with ultra-violet rays comprislng a con- .tainer, a source of ultra-violet radiations in said container, a rotatable support mounted on the container, a pair of quartz rods terfminating in bends shaped to cause their tips to be juxtaposed when said rods are mainly parallel, a spring mounted to press the tips of said rods toward one another, and a handle for releasing said spring pressure.

In witness whereof, I have .hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October 1924. DE FOREST B. CATLIN. I 

